Improvement in cotton-presses



UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JAMES T. HAM, OF SINATOBIA, MISSISSIPPI.

IMPROVEMENT IN COTTON-PRESSES.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 26,7641, dated January l0, 1860.

T0 all whom t may concern,.-

Be it known that I, JAMES T. IIAM, of Sinatobia, in the county of De Soto and State of Mississippi, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Cotton-Presses; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the construction and operation of the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, inaking a part of this specification, in which- Figure l represents a top plan of the press. Fig. 2 represents a vertical longitudinal section. Fig. 3 represents a transverse section through the red line a' .fr of Fig. 2.

lSimilar letters of reference, where they oe cur in the several figures, denote like parts of the press in all of them.

My invention consists, first, in so inelining the press as to admit of the triple objects of, first, allowing the sweep that works the windlass to pass under the end of the press; seeond, of causing the ropes to lay themselves evenly on the windlass without overriding or chaiing; and, third, to allow the follower to run back by its gravity, and in doing so to spread out the levers for the next operation; and my invention consists, also, in the arrangement of the bottom and side doors of the pressing-box, so that all three shall be held by a single catch-piece or released by the removal of said catch-piece, to tie or take out the bale.

To enable others skilled in the art to make and use my invention, I will proceed to describe the same with reference to the draw ings.

A is an oblong rectangular frame, which is supported in an inclined position, as seen in Fig; 2. In one end of this frame is placed a windlass, B, the stein B of which extends down below the base of the press, so that the sweep by which the windlass is turned may pass around below the press. Toward the opposite end of the frame at the points a a are hinged, respectively, (or pivoted.) the levers C C, to the ends of which the ropes Z) b are respectively connected, the other ends thereof being fastened to the windlass B.

l) is a follower having a cross-head, c, at its lower end, and this cross-head is connected to the levers G C by the rods or straps d d, so that as the ends of the levers are drawn in toward the windlass the follower shall be drawn l toward the pressingbox E, and when the bale is secured and the windlass let go the follower running back by its own gravity will draw out the levers for the next succeeding operation. The inclination of the press effects another important obj ect-viz., that as the points of the levers approach the windlass they tend to raise up the ropes, and thus cause the coils to build regularly on the windlass without overriding or chafing.

Eis the pressing-box, into which the cotton is forced by the follower. The bottom e of the pressing-box is hinged at 2, as seen in Fig. 2, so as to drop down when released. The sides ff of said box are hinged at the points 3, as seen in Fig. 3, so as to swing from each other at their lower ends, and all three of these doors are held firmly together during the operation of pressing by a slidingcatchpiece, F, that can be moved along on the rails A of the frame. When the bale is roped, the catch-piece F is run back and the doors i1nmediately swing on their pivots and release it, allowing it to drop out of the box.

H is the door that covers the top of the pressing-box. It is represented as raised up in Fig. 2 in position for receiving a supply of loose cotton. It is of sufficient length to receive enough of the loose cotton to form a -bale when pressed, and when the charge of cotton is introduced the door is closed down by a hook, bar, or any other ordinary fastening. This makes a cheap, convenient, and very efficient press.

I is the bottom board of the press, on which the follower D slides.

Having thus fully described the nature and object of my invention, what I claim therein as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

Inclining the press, as shown, for the triple purpose of allowing the sweep that turns the windlass to pass under the end of the press, to cause the ropes or chains to wind uniformly on the windlass without overriding or Charing, and to allow the follower to run back by its own gravity and spread out the levers for the next operation, as set forth.

JAMES T. HAM. Witnesses:

A. B. SroUGHroN, Trios. H. UPPERMAN. 

